Thank you, Debbie Alvarez

I didn’t know Debbie Alvarez all that well. I had been following her blog, The Styling Librarian, for the past few years, and I knew she’d been on the forefront of the kidlit librarian blogosphere. I was a fan of Debbie’s ‘Whatever Wednesday’ posts and the fact that until this fall, all of her posts appeared a day early (due to the fact that she was living and teaching in China). I’d always get to her #IMWAYR posts on Sunday nights.

When I found out that Debbie passed away on Monday after a three year battle with cancer, I was both saddened and shocked. I had no idea she wasn’t well. Her blog was one of the best out there and her enthusiasm for books was unmatched.

In reading Facebook posts written by her friends, a blog post tribute shared by Debbie Ohi, and articles in The Oregonian, I learned just how amazing Debbie Alvarez was as a reader, educator, and human being.

Debbie Alvarez, The Styling Librarian (illustration by Debbie Ohi)

Under normal circumstances I probably wouldn’t have written anything about this. But today on thestylinglibrarian.com, an article posted entitled Styling Librarian Saturday Book Share Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast.

I wish I could thank Debbie for her kind words. I wish her family strength in this difficult time. I wish for Debbie’s passion to live on in every reader she touched.

Debbie says about her Saturday Book Shares: “I’ve had many books I review that I just want to feature. Simple and easy, celebrate a new book encounter. So that’s what Saturday Book Share is about for me, celebrating books!”

Thank you, Debbie Alvarez, for celebrating books.

 

Two for You

(two books I recommend you read)

1. Nana Upstairs & Nana Downstairs written & illustrated by Tomie dePoala

2. City Dog, Country Frog written by Mo Willems and illustrated by Jon J Muth